1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for cleaning a computer mouse, and more particularly to an apparatus for removing debris from the interior cavity of a computer mouse.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As is well known in the art, a computer mouse is a device which is used to move a cursor across a computer screen. A typical mouse includes a housing having a number of buttons on the top and a cavity on the bottom which houses a number of transducers, a sphere for translating movement of the mouse to the transducers and a biasing roller for biasing the sphere into contact with the transducers. The sphere is maintained within the cavity by means of a retaining ring which locks into place in the housing and includes an aperture which allows a small portion of the sphere to protrude therethrough for contacting a surface against which the mouse is slid during use. Due to the aperture in the retaining ring, during use of the mouse, lint and other debris can be pulled into the cavity where it can become entangled or otherwise adhered to the transducers and the biasing roller, thereby degrading the sensitivity of the mouse. Periodic cleaning of the cavity, and particularly the transducers and biasing roller, is necessary to restore the sensitivity of the mouse.
A prior art device for cleaning the cavity of a computer mouse is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,440 to Chapin, Jr. This device includes a hook-covered sphere (such as VELCRO.RTM.) which is coated with a solvent and inserted into the cavity of the mouse after the mouse sphere and retaining ring have been removed. The mouse is then moved across a loop-covered surface in order to randomly rotate the sphere inside the cavity to cause the hooks to scrub the transducers. When finished, the user must insert a pin into the sphere in order to pull it out of the cavity. While this apparatus may be effective in cleaning the mouse cavity and transducers, it has several shortcomings. Since the sphere is coated with a solvent before it is inserted into the mouse cavity, the user has no choice but to handle the solvent-coated sphere in order to install it in the mouse cavity. This results in the solvent getting on user's hands. Furthermore, the device requires a number of separate accessories, including a pin for removing the sphere from the mouse cavity, which can be dangerous, a solvent and a special mouse pad on which the hook-covered sphere is rolled. Since all of these accessories are required to use the device, the device is cumbersome to use, is not very portable and can be difficult for people with reduced hand dexterity to use.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus for cleaning the transducers and biasing roller of a mouse which is portable, which requires a minimum number of accessories, which is easy to handle and use and which does not require the user to handle solvent-soaked pieces.